Lexus LFA chief engineer Tanahashi Haruhiko indicated a future supercar would most likely be hybrid powered in the vain of recent European offerings. “You know Ferrari has already started using the hybrid car (the LaFerrari). Porsche’s 918 started to use hybrid. They are using that motor, but their motor is a small-scale (electric) motor. It’s not like something used by Lexus hybrids. Lexus hybrid is using a fully-fledged motor," he said.

“So I think going forward it will be very difficult for the supercar only using a petrol engine. I thought that LFA could be the last car using the pure engine only."

He says he is personally “sad” to see the end of engines such as the V10 of the LFA, but suggests the future isn’t bleak in terms of alternative methods of propulsion.

“As you know there are two main streams in the market. One is turbo- or supercharging, and number two is the hybrid using the [electric] motor. The trend of the market is either to involve turbo- or supercharger, or hybrid motor. So there is a high possibility that that kind of [Lexus supercar] will be made in the future.

"I am not in the position (to say) whether the new models will come up or not, so I don’t know whether that happen. However, maybe under the brand of Lexus, or maybe under the brand of Toyota, maybe another kind of sports car will be launched. And I hope that kind of sports car will be launched in the future," he says, hinting at apotential new Toyota Supra model as has been widely reported.

"Well I think that kind of talkings are going on in the company, that’s what I heard."

Tanahashi-san says while a new supercar could be a way off, the lessons the brand has learned with the LFA will filter down through other models, including in Toyota's range.

"The DNA – the engine sound, engine response and engine feeling – I think these can be used the next IS F, next Lexus models and even for Toyota models," he says.